Power plant for airplanes



Feb. 4, 1930. E. B. cARNs ,3 7

PEJWER PLANT FOR AIRPLANES Filed April 22, 1927 veutoz, ctmw Patented Fbl 4, 1930- UNITED STATES PATENT? OFFICE EPIUND B. CABINS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO CAIRNS DEVELOPMENT COM- PANY, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A. CORPORATION OF DELAWARE POWER PLANT FOR AIRPLANES Application filed April 22,

My invention relates to improvements in airplanes and, more particularly, those of the larger kind.

As air-planes get larger, the difliculties in cident to weight distribution and space required for taking off and alighting, complicate their development.

The general object of my invention is to overcome these limiting factors and produce 1 an air plane of the larger kind, having its driving or impelling means disposed so as p to cause a relatively quick take-ofl and, consequently, a short run and, also, to construct the apparatus so that the speed of the air craft may be lessened just before it alights and, at the time of alighting, and even after impact, so that the craft does not require so large a lighting field.

My invention is further intended to cause a better distribution of the impelling means to the end that the machine may be properly balanced, and the power applied simultaneously to practically all parts of the plane.

In taking off, an air foil only becomes operative, as regards its lifting value, when air is sent across it either by impelling the air, as by a large propelling blast or pulling the air foil through the air with the propeller, and when the forward motion is of suflicient speed, the lift reaction occurs.

In these large structures, it is, also, the best practice to have the plane or planes taper toward the tips and grow gradually lighter in these directions. By my improved practice, I dispose the power plane or impelling means so that the impelling units are heaviest near the center, of the machine, and

. gradually grow smaller and lighter toward 40 the plane tips and, also, disposing these impelling units along substantially the whole I length or at least the greater part of the plane and, thus, a proper balance is main- 3 {tained and an air draft or current created simultaneously across substantially the whole 1927. Serial No. 185,845.

width of the plane, thereby, insuring quick action.

By the preferred arrangement, I di ose these impelling units, for example, prope lers and their motors on a plane preferably of relatively thick section and narrow chord,spaced apart from the main plane a suflicient distance to provide ample room for the largest propeller and, when the propellers are set in motion, they cause a powerful air current across substantially the Whole Width of the mainplane and, therefore, create a partial vacuum and lifting force so that the plane rises quickly.

Where the main impelling force and motor weight is concentrated at or near the center of the machine, it will be seen that the induced current of the propellers is only applied to a part of the plane, and if substantially the whole power is centered at this point, it is more difiicult to preserve the balance, and the stress, strains and weights are not very evenly distributed.

Where the impelling units, however, are

located in accordance with my invention and as above outlined, the Weight is distributed in proportion to the strength and weight of the plane, the impelling units can all be simultaneously controlled, and quick, reliable, and well balanced power is applied to the plane as a whole.

The power carrying or auxiliary plane can be a relatively solid plane or its after part can be movable vertically so that when the parts of the superposed or spaced plane are parallel with the main plane, the action above described occurs, but if the after part is moved vertically, it offers greaterresistance and has a braking effect on the machine as a Whole, so that it is possible, by regulating the movement of'the after part of the auxiliary or power plane, to lessen the speed of the machine at or near the time of its alight.- ing and, thus, enable it to alight on a relatively small field or space.

-In the accompanying drawings, I have shown in a general and diagrammatic way, the features of my invention, with the understanding that the details may be very widely varied Without affecting the invention.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which similar reference characters represent the corresponding parts in all views.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan of an aircraft showing my improvements. Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof and I Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevation showing the movable feature of the auxiliarly or power carrying plane.

' wish it understood, too, that while it is a distinct advantage to have the propelling units or elements spaced apart from the main wing for the purpose aboveclearly stated,

still it is an advantage to have a multiplicity of propelling units distributed, as stated, along the greater part of the length of the plane, with the size and weight of the units diminishing toward the plane tips.

The spaced power carrying plane is preferred and, instead of having the plane a single rigid structure, the forward part 16 may be carried by the struts or braces 13 and the after part 17 can be pivoted or hinged to the forward part as shown in Figure 3 so that when the parts 16 and 17 align and are parallel with the main plane 11 of the machine 10, the action will be as above de scribed, but if the part 17 is moved up or down, it will offer air resistance and have a braking or slowing effect on the machine as a whole.

This movement of the part 17 canbe-accomplished in any convenient way, for example, I have shown it connected by a rod 18 with a rocking lever 19 which is pivoted as shown at 20' on the machine 11, and the lever is moved by the rod 21. 1

Thus, it will be seen that my invention is not one of detail but covers the application of the impell a plane so as to get a proper balance, a cormet distribution of weight, and a quick,-

powerful air current across the larger poring or power units to braking part, and a line of power units extending substantially across the plane and in weight from the April, 1927.

EDMUND B. CARNS.

tion of the plane and the braking or retarding effect noted.

I claim: 1. A power plant for aircraft, comprising a main plane, a power carrying plane spaced 7 apart from and connected to the main plane, a said powercarrying plane having its after part arranged to swing in a vertical plane, and impelling units carried by the power carrying plane in substantially transverse.

. alignment said im elling units progressively diminishing in wel ght from the center to the tip portions of the plane. 7

v2. A power plant for aircraft, comprising a plane having a vertically swinging or. 

